iCam Help

Overview

For the vast majority of users, iCam is able to connect to the iCamSource without any additional network configuration.

However, for a user whose network is particularly restrictive or complex, using iCam from outside of their local WiFi network can require some additional (and oftentimes advanced) network configuration. We have always been happy to help users diagnose their network configuration issues and forward the necessary ports in their network routers, but we have also continued to try and develop simpler ways to enable those users to connect.

With the introduction of Proxy Support, users with particularly restrictive or complex networks will now be able to connect from outside of their local WiFi networks without any additional network configuration.

How does Proxy Support work?

iCam was originally designed to make direct, peer-to-peer connections to the iCamSource. When iCam connects directly to the iCamSource, no audio or video data is passed through our servers. We designed iCam this way so that we didn't have to shoulder the bandwidth costs of transferring all of that data.

Enabling Proxy Support gives iCam and the iCamSource the option to connect through a Proxy Server to pass the audio and video data between them when they are unable to make a direct, peer-to-peer connection.

iCam Proxy Options

Proxy Support allows iCam to connect to the iCamSource through our premium Private proxy servers or (optionally) through other iCam users' free Public proxying iCamSources.

Selecting Private Only means that iCam will only connect through our premium Private proxy servers when it cannot make a direct, peer-to-peer connection to the iCamSource. Selecting Public & Private means that iCam will first attempt to connect through a free Public proxying iCamSource before relying on our premium Private proxy servers.

Private Proxy Data

Servers and bandwidth cost money, so users who want to connect through our Private proxy servers will first need to purchase Private Proxy Data through iCam. We are currently offering Unlimited Private Proxy Data with a US$4.99 monthly subscription, or an a-la-carte option of 25 MB of Private Proxy Data for US$0.99 which should result in approximately half an hour of continuous viewing over EDGE/3G/4G/LTE.

Private Proxy Data is not required when connecting through a free Public proxying iCamSource.

iCamSource Public Proxy

When users enable the Public Proxy in the iCamSource, they are donating up to 20 KB/s of their available bandwidth for another iCam user who is unable to make a direct, peer-to-peer connection to connect through their iCamSource.

When an iCamSource is acting as a Public Proxy, it will need to accept incoming TCP connections on a port that is either automatically forwarded by their router using UPnP or NAT-PMP, or manually forwarded by the user.

Privacy

iCam and the iCamSource currently use industry standard 256-bit AES encryption, so your audio and video data will always remain private and secure.